The Cost of Progress
by smwebbmu
Summary: Eager to give Hufflepuff House the fame it deserves, a young wizard tears magic apart at the seams to learn how it works and how to use it. But knowledge has the power to drive men mad...


"The Dark Arts are many, varied, ever-changing, and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible." – Severus Snape

**A Just Man**

**Prologue: Hopelessly Guilty**

_The Department of Magic, Washington, DC, USA_

"The Supreme and High Court of the Wizarding United States has brought criminal charges against this notoriously Dark wizard…"

_As-Sufi Al-Hukuma, Beirut, Lebanon_

"The As-Sufi Al-Hukuma has no doubt that this dangerous and unstable man is not only a threat to the mystical population of the Muslim world, but a threat to the entire existence of Islam…"

_The Department of Magic, Manila, Philippines_

"…and we can ask no less than the sentence of death. This man is an enemy of the Wizarding World universal, and, if I may be so bold, an affront to magic as a whole. While it is painful to bring such judgment upon one of our own, this is a necessary precaution. We call Alexander Zephyr to the stand."

_The Ministry of Magic, London, UK_

The young man sat, chained and terrified.

He felt the searing, hateful gaze of more than a dozen witches and wizards, who more than likely would curse him into a bloody mess of guts and sinew if they had the chance.

As he struggled in vain against the ancient chains, a stern looking witch in her forties rose from the bench. He wondered how many others sat in the same stone chair, saw dozens of equally stern looking judges. Irreparably condemned by a broken system.

"This court will come to order… The full body of the Wizengamot of Wizarding Britain has been gathered with the goal of bringing justice upon the life of a wizard who was rarely, if ever, just."

The witch gave the slightest twitch of her wand and conjured a thick scroll of parchment from nothing. "My name is Hermione Granger. I stand in good faith before the Wizengamot as your Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The charges against the accused will now be read, to be supported by the testimony of our Head of the Auror Office, Harry Potter and other respectable witnesses."

The Head Auror looked young for his age, but still bore visible battle scars that were beginning to overtake the infamous bolt of lightning on his forehead. With no show of emotion, he rose from the bench, stepped over to the towering podium, and spoke.

"For the unique purposes of this trial, we will make use of a Pensieve, the contents of which will be viewed by each Wizengamot member. We thought it of particular importance that each and every piece of evidence in memory be experienced."

A dark-skinned wizard released the Pensieve in question from his hands, and it floated downward until it came to a stop in front of the accused, where it hovered silently.

Harry Potter opened the roll of parchment, and began to read. "Over one hundred counts of the illegal use of magic in the presence of Muggles. Experimental spellcraft without a license. Possession of illegal Dark materials. Distribution of wands without a permit. The murder of Corvinus Shil…"

Alexander closed his eyes and tried to tune out the sound of Potter's voice. The list was excruciatingly long, but it didn't matter. As far as he was concerned, he had done nothing wrong.

It pained him to hear his life's work summed up as a list of crimes against humanity. It pained him especially to hear the names of those who had been lost in his endeavors… best friends, colleagues, family members…

He kept his eyes closed and clung to happy memories as if he stood before a Dementor.

"…and crossing international borders without a passport." Potter stepped down from the podium, and Hermione Granger took it once more.

"The Wizengamot, as the representative body of Wizarding Britain, is prepared to administer the maximum penalty for these crimes. Mr. Zephyr, how do you plead?"

Alexander didn't bother to open his eyes. "Simply innocent."

"Very well." Granger conjured up a large, silver cauldron filled with the familiar white strands of memories, and placed it down before him. With precise but rather pretty waves of her wand, she maneuvered one of the memories into the Pensieve. The shimmering bowl filled with the dark smoke of the waiting images, and Alexander could see figures forming quickly.

Granger waved her wand in the direction of his chains. "_Relashio!_"

The chains receded into the chair, and Alexander rubbed his wrists gratefully.

"Do not attempt escape. You are to view the memories in question so that you may object to our perspective if you wish. When you are finished, the trial will proceed." She took her seat.

Alexander stood, and reluctantly walked over to the silver bowl. His entire life swirled before him.

It was so hopeless. This would prove nothing.

Alexander Zephyr took a deep breath, gently pressed his face into the contents of the Pensieve, and plunged into himself.


End file.
